Felling trees during TSI

[Good Feller]

I started doing TSI on a 10 acre patch yesterday.   My DNR forester forgot to tell me that the weed trees (ash,bitternut hickory)  12" dbh and larger can just be double girdled with a chainsaw and left standing for bird habitat.  Although it would be faster to girdle the trees and move on, the landowner's objectives have nothing to do with bird habitat.  He wants income from white oak/walnuts, increased light to forest floor to facilitate oak regeneration, and improved deer habitat for bow hunting, that's it.  The landowner did seem concerned about hangers falling on him or his dog,,, which leads me to believe he wouldn't like a bunch of dead standing trees either.

I have directional felled every tree so far, preventing hangers and damage to the crop trees.  My question is this: In this situation,,, is it better to drop the trees or should I talk the landowner into keeping a few dead snags for the birds? 

[tyb525]

I'm surprised that the forester considers ash, butternut, and hickory weed trees. The landowner could make some money from the larger ones.

[Good Feller]

The landowner wants to keep a select few real straight nice larger ash just for diversity.  These species are not of commercial importance in my area.  Most of the stuff I'm cutting is large crooked stuff or stuff too small to sell.   

[woodtroll]

I am not a big fan of girdling as the primary method. It leaves to many snags in a woods. It can be a hazard. Specially if a landowner is in there much.
Bitternut hickory is a slow dieing tree from girdling. It takes herbicide also and still may make it. I have seen ten year old girdles that are growing strong. The trees are junk and have rot but the hickories can survive and still be a weed. Some snags are okay, I would leave 6 or so an acre tops.

As far as determining weed trees(this is purely from a timber point of view), look at the value of the stumpage. Hickory, all though it has it's markets, can shade out white oak and is not worth as much.

[Urbicide]

I have a good number of ash trees. Unfortunately, the emerald ash borer has been found in Clermont County, Ohio. I am pondering just cutting them down since they will end up like the American Elm trees that I have (dead). Wish someone could find a bush honeysuckle borer.

[Lanier_Lurker]

I wish someone could find an English ivy or kudzu borer..... :(

[ID4ster]

Snags are an important component of the forest for several reasons:

1) You want snags to provide habitat for cavity dependent birds and mammals. Cavity dependent birds such as screech and sawhet owls are good to have around for rodent control. Also bats use the cavitites and they have been found in several studies to be a bigger insect eater than songbirds. Having a bunch of non-union, 24/7, non-payroll insect and rodent predators that are working for you and the health of your forest for only the cost of a few snags per acre is a cheap price to pay.

2) Snags also provide nesting places for birds such as woodpeckers and chickadees  which are also insectivores.

3) When snags fall down they have another life for ground mammals and birds that need structure on the gound.

4) Fallen snags will eventally rot into the ground where they become an important part of the upper soil profile. Without that organic matter in the soil your entire forest becomes less productive over time.

All the forests that I manage, along with our family property, are managed with snags as a forest component. You do not have to manage for birds specifically but managing for cavity dwelling birds and mammals will enable you to have a healthier, more diverse and more resilient forest for your other objectives.     

[Ron Scott]

Good advice!

[woodtroll]

Snags are a good part of a forest, just don't leave 30% of your stand as snags. A hand full per acres is plenty. In my opinion

[Ron Scott]

1 - 5 trees per acre is the standard we use for leaving a diversity of wildlife trees in the form of den, snag, cavity, and mast trees. The Animal Inn Topic in the Outdoor Thread may be of interest.